The Kingdom Within Us
by Black Thorned Rose
Summary: This World is connected to all others. We display our creativity through books, movies, and more. But what one believes to be fiction are facts, and authors and producers are the psyche into the door of other worlds. One shot. R


**THE KINGDOM WITHIN US**

I looked up to the black skies, shining with a crystalline light. The celestial lights were hypnotizing, however harsh the cold nipped at my flesh. Within my mind I contained reality, and I refused to allow reality to contain me. I would not let snickers and rumors rule my laugh, and would shun the words of pain. My friends were the stars and the stars, I believe, thought me as friend. Sitting up from my place upon the cliff, I pulled the blanket tighter to my skin. Winter was always harsh in New England, and tonight was no exception. As I walked down from the grassy hills, my breath crystallized before me, and my blue hair fell in strands before my green eyes, distorting my view of the quaint Cape Cod town.

Where have my friends gone? I rushed out into the night, spring breathing at my back. Above me, the constellation Orion was missing his belt, and Cancer missed a claw. I craned my neck to the sky, but still could not see what was wrong. It was then roiling black clouds came from the sea, lightning flashing before my eyes. The sea whipped at the cliff below, dragging chunks of earth into their fearful depths. I do believe my eyes decieve me, but I thought I saw stars falling like fireflies, their radiant glow flickering out.

"Nor'easter!" I cried, shouting to the town. The wind whisked away my words of fear, and looking to my friends once more, I waved goodbye, running to the Town Square. It was then my footing shook beneath me, and the salt water grasped the cliff. I cannot describe the sensation of falling hundreds of feet, only able to look up in hopes that some wayward wind would save you, only to see black clouds of doom above you, and jagged rocks below. Have you ever calmed yourself by deciding that, yes, you were going to die? I did.

* * *

Cold...a hollowness like I've never felt before. I opened my eyes, only to find darkness. As I blinked, praying I was not blind, I felt hot tears fall down my face. 

"Am I blind? Am I even alive?" I cried, beginning to feel my arms and legs again. As I began to move around, a cackled came to my ear. My ankles and wrists were bound to the surface below me, and my eyes shielded with the darkest of blind folds.

"Who are you?" I screamed, more out of rage than fear. Did this cackling character save me, or was my fall from the cliff an illusion? Wait...the Nor'easter!

"Child, there is no use in revolting the inevitable. Calm yourself, and perhaps I can rid of your bindings and give you something to eat." In one swift movement, all bindings had loosened, the blind fold and shackles flying into the air, dropping to the ground beside me. Sitting up, I rubbed my aching joints, but found myself too distracted by my surroundings. Or, rather, the lack there of. Darkness...I merely placed utop a visible dais, and in the distance large, forbidding white doors.

"I welcome you to the realm of darkness." Spinning around and jumping to my feet, my eyes discovered a man...hidious orange eyes illuminated his sharp, dastardly face, long white hair outlining his menacing expression. He appeared to float rather than walk, and he wore clothing of the darkest hues and shades.

"I am Ansem, and I am your master." He hissed, glaring at me with those putrid orange eyes of his.

"Yeah, right. And I'm the freakin' Easter Bunny." I crossed my arms at this lunatic. I was no ones servant. I never even bowed to reality. Sure, the Easter Bunny crack was odd, but I could not use Mr.Clause. He's too kind. At this, "Ansem" gritted his teeth, and a strange creature appeared out of ribbons of darkness behind him. I stepped back in horror, unsure of what to do. It was nothing like I've ever seen...not retaining flesh, but what seemed like physical shadows. It's face only displayed pain, and an emblem of a dark heart was shown on its chest.

"My guardian is just the same as you, only more respecting unlike a brat like yourself." I could not see how such a statement would even revolve around me.

"Like me? At least I look remotely attractive, unlike an ass like yourself." I mimicked sarcastically, but before I could have the satisfaction of hearing this maniac reply, it was as if my footing disappeared entirely, and I fell...

* * *

Awaking with a particularly throbbing headache, I sat up, only to find my cargo pants replaced with strange clothing. Standing up in shock, I looked at my wardrobe.

"What the hell?" A black bodice fit tightly to my slender frame, and black pants fit tightly to my legs, flaring out at the bottom just above a pair of black boots. Purple arm warmers occupied the space from my wrist to my elbow on either arm, and I found my hair long instead of up in a ragged ponytail. What was the most curious of all was an emblem depicted just above my chest, resembling the dark heart that creature had.

"Are you prepared to obey, now?" I turned at Ansem's cruel voice, seeing him floating behind me in this queer realm of darkness.

"Are you prepared to be called a pervert? Too bad. YOU PERVERT! YOU DRESSED ME!" I screamed at this menacing figure. I particularly do not care who the hell he think he is, but I will not be used for guilty pleasures like such.

"I did not dress you. However, my servants did." All around me, small shadow creatures appeared, antennae twitching rapidly, they swaying back and forth, clawing at the ground.

"What are they?"

"As I stated before, they are just as you are, child. Heartless." Ansem hissed, and the shadow creatures disappeared.

"Heartless? I have more of a heart than you." I spoke, slightly shooken by these shadow creatures that seemed to appear out of nothing.

"On the contrary, my dear. You lost your heart as your world fell to darkness. It had been years that heartless have attempted to take your world, so full of life and love, yet brewing with violence and hate." Ansem smiled wickedly, apparently amused by this 'victory'. To this, I had nothing to say. What if this lunatic was speaking truth? After all, I had physically felt every ordeal in this darkened place, and the creatures had been in depth, able to be observed as real. Was Earth truly destroyed?

"Speechless? As I would think. Unlike the other heartless, you seem to retain your soul and mind. Unique, I must say, and a spectacular find for myself. Power comes with the creative fighting mind. That is why that damned keyblade master continuously thwarts these mindless drones."

"Keyblade Master?" I asked. This point in time is when my mind was about to implode. Attempting to absorb the fact that my world had been destroyed, darkness, I no longer have a heart, I'm freakin' unique, and blades that look like keys can do that to a girl's mind.

"The boy that wields the key to worlds...if only he were to be destroyed, you could be granted your heart back and your world restored."

"What? Really? Wait...how do I know even if what you say is true?" Ansem disappeared, reappearing with his face so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my cheeks.

"You WILL kill Sora, Donald, and Goofy." I began to laugh hysterically. Ansem looked at me as though I had grown a second, third, or even fourth head.

"What, exactly, is so funny?" Attempting to control my laughter, I regained my composure, and looked straight at Ansem.

"I'm in a video game. Haha! Why didn't I recognize this earlier? Probably cause I haven't played the game in a coupla months. Want the run through, tough guy? Sora gets keyblade, goes with Disney characters Donald and Goofy, lock Tarzan world, Wonderland, Coliseum, Agrabah, Traverse Town, Atlantica, Neverland, Halloween town, Monstro, Hollow Bastion, and this place, open Kingdom Hearts, you go poof when the light comes, and I'm friggin' dreaming! Wow, this is really realistic." I wandered around, wondering when I had fallen asleep, or perhaps I was in a coma after I fell off the cliff. Still, it was unbelievable that I was basically in Kingdom Hearts. Now that I think of it, this outfit is pretty interesting. Ansem stood behind me, mouth open, drool escaping little by little from his mouth and dumbfounded expression.

* * *

I awoke, blinking, white blinding my vision. Beep. I breathed heavily, attempting to sit up in this uncomfortable bed. Looking to my right, I noticed Sora sitting in a chair. Seeing me awake, he smiled, standing.

"Donald! Goofy! She's awake!" Turning my head to the door, I noticed the two coming into what appeared to be a hospital room.

"What happened?" I cradled my aching head, then noticed that the heartless symbol was still attatched to my flesh.

"Well, uh, we mistakened ya for a bad kind-a heartless and, well, uh..." Goofy began, scratching the back of his head.

"...what Goofy 's tryin' ta say is, uh..." Donald continued, but blushed and looked away from me.

"...we attacked you." Sora spoke, ashamed of himself. I just laughed.

"You attacked me? And I lived?" The three nodded, but I just smiled.

"Don't be ashamed. I forgive you, for whatever you did."

"Are you sure, Kairi?" Sora questioned.

"Kairi? I'm not Kairi."

* * *

Kairi awoke with a start, cold sea water licking at her bare feet. Scurrying up the sandy beach, she stood, brushing the purple skirt off. The cold sea breeze blew through her pink hair, and her eyes looked out to the horizon.

"Sora...please, be alright. But...who was that girl?" She looked up to the blinding sun, shielding her eyes with her slender arm. Destiny Islands had returned to its full glory, but none remained that remembered Sora. Wakka walked behind Kairi, looking at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

"'Ey, Kairi, what's a matta?"

"Nothing...I hope...listen, Wakka, do you remember a boy, about my age, with brown hair and blue eyes? He was always energetic..."

"No one by that description, and I already said I neva met no one like that yesterday. Jus' forget about your imaginary boyfriend." Wakka began to jog away, blitz ball tucked safely under his arm.

"Wait! What about a girl with cargo pants and blue hair? She liked astronomy, I think..."

"Nope. Gotta go, Kairi. Me and Titus are havin' ourselves a rematch!" As Wakka sprinted away, Kairi sighed, reaching into her pocket. Withdrawing a tiny, glowing orb, she saw Sora in the horizon, shouting to her as the heavens resumed their place in a stunning display. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she ran into the secret place.

* * *

The chalk drawing she and Sora had drawn on the wall always confirmed her beliefs in his existence, and comforted her in a strange way. Sitting down, she looked at all the drawings, smiling at the innocense of what seemed to be ages ago. Noticing some stray pieces of ivy, Kairi pushed it aside, and gasped. I had drawn a picture of Earth such a long time ago...perhaps, I don't even truly remember.

_This World is connected to all others. We display our creativity through books, movies, and more. But what one believes to be fiction are facts, and authors and producers are the psyche into the door of other worlds. Although animators never truly capture the essence of that world, some do a fascinating job with it._

_Hearts, souls, and the mind...these three compose us, all of us, no matter how dark or kind they be. And, I believe, no matter how violent this world gets, or how much blood is shed, we will never be lost to darkness, and Kingdom Hearts will open for all of us. I am Kaylie, and I have seen and heard much...I may be young, but I understand the world just as much as you do. And, no matter how much we drown in our most pitiable tears, our hearts will guide us back._


End file.
